BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman answers a question before Game 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals between the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues on May 27, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

Report: NHL salary cap will be lower than expected

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The NHL's salary cap will be between $81.5 and $82 million for the 2019-20 season, according to The Associated Press.

Commissioner Gary Bettman projected during the NHL Board of Governors meetings in December that the current $79.5-million cap would increase to $83 million.

The lower-than-expected number will result in added difficulty for teams trying to re-sign key players and fill out their rosters while already facing limited cap space.

With @DarrenDreger @TSNBobMcKenzie reports of a Cap of less than $83M, here’s a look at the highest current cap hit committed by teams. Note that Cap Space is based on projected $83M Caphttps://t.co/7HK8nY2Jfh pic.twitter.com/U8tuagcvH1
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 18, 2019